October 16, 2020

Prisoner Cruise

Mom called it a cruise, but I knew that prisoners didn’t go on cruises. I rode to the dock the day the ship left. I couldn’t see Dad, but I waved as the ship steamed away, just in case.

He returned five years later, tanned, muscular, almost unrecognizable. He didn’t drink anymore, didn’t yell or get violent. I didn’t mind the polite stranger he’d become.

At first.

But he doesn’t laugh anymore, doesn’t go outside. He just sleeps or watches TV.

Now when the ship comes, I ride to the dock to curse the beast that, somehow, ate my father.

A strange story, but that is probably what you’ve come to expect from me. What do you think happened to the father while he was away?

About David Stewart

I am a writer of anything quirky and weird. I love most genres of fiction and in each there are stories that I would consider "my kind of story". View all posts by David Stewart

This entry was posted on Friday, October 16th, 2020 at 10:07 am and tagged with criminal, cruise, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, prison, reform, ship and posted in Dusk, Friday Fictioneers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

17 responses to “Prisoner Cruise”

Miles Rost
October 16th, 2020 at 12:57 pm

He ended up in Australia.

And it…didn’t end well for him.

Reply
bearmkwa
October 16th, 2020 at 2:17 pm

Ohhh, that was a gooood one!

Reply
michael
October 16th, 2020 at 5:20 pm

I saw a island prison belonging to France

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rochellewisoff
October 17th, 2020 at 1:46 pm

Dear David,

Why does my mind go to A Clockwork Orange? At least in the neighborhood. At the very least Dad returned brainwashed and broken I’d say. Good one.

Shalom,

Rochelle

Reply
- David Stewart
  October 20th, 2020 at 10:21 pm
  
  That was kind of the vibe I was going for, but of course the mind can conjure up any number of horrors he might have endured that would have changed him like that. Glad you liked it.
  -David
  
  Reply
msjadeli
October 17th, 2020 at 7:57 pm

You told an excellent story in so few words. I can feel the truth of this, even as fiction.

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Brenda's Thoughts
October 17th, 2020 at 11:15 pm

Well written. I enjoyed that very much!

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Dale
October 18th, 2020 at 5:07 pm

My mind went to him going to prison…
Wonderfully written.

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- Susannah Bianchi
  October 20th, 2020 at 4:26 am
  
  Wasn’t it? I think so too. Great minds think alike. 🙂
  
  Reply
  - Dale
    October 20th, 2020 at 7:25 am
    
    Indeed!
    
    Reply
    - Susannah Bianchi
      October 20th, 2020 at 7:33 am
      
      He’s a really good writer never preening nor showing off. Makes him all the more special. 🙂
      
      Reply
- David Stewart
  October 20th, 2020 at 10:19 pm
  
  Thank you, Dale. I’m glad you liked it.
  
  Reply
Susannah Bianchi
October 20th, 2020 at 4:25 am

How did I miss this? You’re so good at these. Hard to be brief and compelling at the same time. 🙂

Reply
- David Stewart
  October 20th, 2020 at 10:19 pm
  
  That’s one reason why I don’t do these lately is that I can’t think of an idea I can condense into 100 words that I like. Sometimes I write two or three stories before I get one that can still be coherent in 100 words.
  
  Reply
  - Susannah Bianchi
    October 21st, 2020 at 4:07 am
    
    You’re still the master, no matta’ what. 🙂
    
    Reply
    - David Stewart
      October 26th, 2020 at 7:55 am
      
      Thank you~
      
      Reply
      - Susannah Bianchi
        October 26th, 2020 at 8:28 am
        
        You’re welcome. 🙂
        
        Reply